2023 Private Label Hall of Fame: Anthony Cera III, SpartanNash
16 leaders from the world of private brands were recently honored as the newest inductees to the Private Label Hall of Fame.
During a ceremony held during the Private Label Manufacturers Association’s (PLMA) Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., members of the Class of 2023 shared stories of the challenges each has overcome to succeed in a highly competitive industry.
Created in 2006 to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of the global private brand industry, this year’s event featured updated categories that each included two retail and two supplier honorees. The categories are Next Gen Private Label Leader, Private Brand Innovator, Private Brand Champion and Lifetime Achievement.
“We proudly celebrate the outstanding achievements of these proven leaders and innovators,” said Peggy Davies, president of PLMA. “Their hard work and dedication are instrumental to the success of the store brands business.”
“The 16 honorees represent the best of the best from across the world of private label and showcase the depth of talent the industry has to offer,” said Greg Sleter, executive editor and associate publisher of Store Brands. “This august group of retailers and suppliers have had a major impact on the private label business and will continue to do so in the years ahead.”
This special section features profiles of each of the new Hall of Famers.
Anthony Cera III
Own Brands Manager, Perishables
SpartanNash
Next Generation
Anthony Cera III has been with Grand Rapids, Mich.-based food solutions company SpartanNash for 13 years, but in the past two years, he has played a major role in the company’s own brands strategy, earning him praise from his SpartanNash team as an up-and-coming star in private label.
In 2021, Cera was promoted to lead SpartanNash’s Own Brands, Perishables team based on his exemplary leadership skills and proven track record of success. In this role, he oversees a team of brand managers and ensures they have the resources and support they need.
In 2022, Cera put an innovative spin on the Our Family private brand, leading the launch of SpartanNash’s new fresh brand, Fresh & Finest by Our Family. This brand delivers a more elevated flavor experience with unique tastes and high-quality ingredients, expanding options to SpartanNash banner store shoppers who are looking for an indulgent experience.
With Cera’s guidance, Fresh & Finest by Our Family launched or converted 415 items, including both staples such as cantaloupe chunks and trendy offerings like zucchini noodles. Private label take-and-bake breads and dips were cited as customer favorites, as Cera helped grow sales and profit by more than 20% year-over-year in his Perishables department.
Cera said that developing these private label products is a fun exercise in creativity and connection with consumers.
“After many months of development, it’s always a proud moment seeing a product come to life at retail,” he said. “I had the opportunity a few years ago to launch a limited edition line of premium ice cream. Ice cream is one of those categories that you can be highly innovative, have fun with, and can easily get people excited about. The product that I was most proud of was a cherry coffee SKU. We were able to partner with our supplier to create an exclusive recipe and incorporate our highest volume private label flavored bagged coffee SKU as an ingredient in the ice cream.”
As private label continues to grow within SpartanNash’s portfolio and for grocery chains around the country, Cera looks to continue growing at the company and developing new and innovative products with his team in the leadership position.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to practice and improve on being a better people leader,” said Cera. “I enjoy sharing my experiences and serving the needs of our associates, so I feel it’s important more now than ever to stay focused on that goal. Taking charge of my own learning and getting outside of my comfort zone is something that I feel is vital to growth both professionally and personally.”